With female boxers making their debut at the 2012 Olympics (and America's most fiery contender, 22-year-old boxer Marlen Esparza, profiled in our July issue), it's clear that-from New York to Los Angeles-women are ready to lace up their gloves and get in the ring. Here are Vogue's picks for cutting-edge gyms and boutique studios across the country that specialize in teaching the age-old sport to a brand-new generation.
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NEW YORK CITY:
Gotham Gym
For an alternative to the better known Aerospace in Greenwich Village and Punch Fitness on the Upper East Side, boxing devotees, new and experienced, can make their way to the hidden West Village gem Gotham Gym. A no-frills place, with New York intensity but a feeling of California calm, Gotham offers a wide variety of boxing and yoga classes, as well as personal training from a super-attentitive staff.
Gotham Gym
600 Washington Street
646.490.8500; gothamgymnyc.com
SAN FRANCISCO:
Polk Street Gym
The Bay Area's best bodies head to this gym, known for its "anyone can box" attitude. Sessions are taught by current or former Golden Glove Champions who insist that all newcomers start with a beginners class so they can master the basics. From there, Polk Street offers multiple levels of group training, but it's the gym's notoriously effective Bootcamp that's garnered a cult following (starting at 6:00 a.m. five days a week, for four weeks, they train in the ring, as well as outdoors on the hills of San Francisco).
Polk Street Gym
1436 Polk Street
415.440.8269; polkstreetboxinggym.com
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BOSTON:
The Ring Boxing Club
Any gym that subscribes to the mantra "Just Show Up and We'll Do the Rest" is worth the exercise of investigation. The Ring Boxing Club, situated in Boston's Brookline, is the city's version of a classic boxing gym with classes that are focused on weight-loss and strengthening. Widely heralded as one of the best places in Boston for training, The Ring prides itself on a coaching staff that guides athletes through a rigorous, all-encompassing workout.
The Ring Boxing Club
971 Commonwealth Avenue
617.782.6946; ringboxingclub.com
LOS ANGELES:
Iron Fitness
Located in the center of Santa Monica, this boutique boxing gym and personal training facility offers both semi-private and private lessons that feature the latest techniques taught by serious professionals (and beloved by a roster of celebrities). With exposed brick and a minimalist aesthetic, the studio also boasts flow, power, and Kundalini yoga-it's a veritable hard-core-meets-serenity mix.
Iron Fitness
1919 Broadway Street
310.264.9800; ironla.com/site
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MIAMI:
Sobekick
If Miami heat doesn't make you work up a sweat, Sobekick definitely will. A premiere boutique kickboxing studio in Miami Beach, Sobekick has everything from a variety of specialized group classes ("Boxercise," "Fight Fit") to personal training sessions with professional fighters. Whether amateur or experienced, clients here are of one mind: They are all eager to work hard, change their bodies, and they're committed to learning to box.
Sobekick
1860 West Avenue, 2nd floor
305.397.8484; sobekick.com
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